City map Almaty

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Almaty – a brief overview

A captivating blend of elaborate baroque churches and clunky Soviet-era public buildings, all flanked by the snow-capped Zailiysky Alatau Mountain, Almaty is a long way from the Borat stereotype. Enriched by Kazakhstan’s mining boom, it’s certainly not cheap but has plenty to recommend it, whether its quirky museums, interesting history or lovely surrounding countryside.

Impressively good restaurants and bars are springing up all over the city as its wealthy inhabitants demand more excitement, although the city’s cultural character remains unchanged.

Top 10 sights in Almaty

Presidential Palace

4 Republic Square Almaty Kazakhstan Show on map

Although you can’t go in, Almaty’s imposing Presidential Palace is worth visiting for the austere Soviet architecture alone. Originally intended to house a museum dedicated to Lenin, it is now home to President Nursultan Nazarbayev instead.

Kok-Tobe

A 1,110m hill overlooking the city, Kok-Tobe is capped with a 372m TV tower and a cluster of attractions, among them life-sized bronze statues of The Beatles.

Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments

Zenkov St Almaty Kazakhstan Show on map

Opening times: Tue-Sun 0900-1700

It might not sound like the most riveting way to spend an afternoon, but this quirky museum is considerably more interesting than it first appears. As well as listening to an in-house band, visitors can try their hand at making music of their own.

Kazakhstan Museum of Arts

Almaty’s main art gallery is home to a huge collection of art spanning every century from the 12th onwards. The Soviet-era works, most of which chart the country’s Communist ‘development’, are particularly fascinating.

Flight and accommodation

Country information

Country overview

Unexplored by many, Kazakhstan is an intriguing and little-known land of vast plains, mountainous horizons and beautiful culture.

Geography

Five times the size of France and half the size of the USA, Kazakhstan is the second largest state in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and is bordered by the Russian Federation to the north and west, the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the southwest, Kyrgyzstan to the south and China to the southeast.

90% of the country is made up of steppe, the sand massives of the Kara Kum and the vast desert of Kizilkum, while in the southeast of the country the mountains of the Tian Shan and the Altai form a great natural frontier with tens of thousands of lakes and rivers. The Aral Sea and Lake Balkhash are the country’s largest expanses of water.

General knowledge

Key facts

Population: 17736896

Population Density (per sq km): 7

Capital: Astana.

Language

The official language is Kazakh, a Turkic language closely related to Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Turkmen and Turkish. The government has begun to replace the Russian Cyrillic alphabet with the Turkish version of the Roman alphabet. Meanwhile, the Cyrillic alphabet is in general use and most people in the cities can speak Russian, whereas country people tend to only speak Kazakh. English is usually spoken by those involved in tourism. Uygur and other regional languages and dialects are also spoken.

Currency

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin continental plugs are standard.

Public holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2018 – December 2019 period.

Note

Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given below are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last up to several days, depending on the region.

Taj Mahal

Flight and accommodation

Calendar of events

Nauruz

20 March 2018

Venue: Throughout Almaty

Almaty welcomes spring with a whole host of special events coinciding with the equinox. Spring cleaning plays an important part, and residents work hard to scrub homes, parks and streets. Colourful yurts spring up in public spaces, with delicious food accompanied by music and dancing.

International Jazz Festival

The Almaty Youth Jazz Band hosts and kicks off six days of fantastic jazz music. Professional artists and bands are invited from across the globe to play a top-notch programme of musical performances. There are plenty of opportunities to hear Kazakh musicians too.

KITF (Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair)

This is primarily a trade fair for the tourism industry, but any travel fiend can browse the numerous stands and pick up tips and brochures for their next adventure. Major resorts, hotels, tour operators and regions set up shop, and visitors can drop into seminars too.

Jazzystan International Jazz Day

Almaty welcomes renowned international jazz musicians to this special event celebrating UNESCO’s International Jazz Day, which aims to draw attention to the role of jazz in bringing together people of different cultures and nationalities.

National Unity Day

1 May 2018

Venue: Throughout Almaty and Kazakhstan

Everyone’s off work on this public holiday, and Kazakhstanis of all ethnicities are encouraged to join together for a day of festivities. In Almaty, this usually includes a parade in Abay Square, and there are plenty of other events highlighting different cultures too, including concerts and dance shows.

Almaty Apple Festival

September 2018

Venue: First President´s Park

Forests of wild apples flourish in the countryside surrounding Almaty, and apples are thought to have originated from this region. Multiple varieties are on display at the annual apple festival, and visitors can take a bite out of the juicy fruit, buy a selection to take away, and enjoy fun activities.

Independence Day

16 December 2018

Venue: Throughout Almaty and Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union on 16 December 1991. Annual celebrations include concerts, parades and glittering fireworks displays. The previous two days, known as Satu Fest, are the Kazakh equivalent of Black Friday or Boxing Day, when shoppers hit the stores to grab big deals and discounts.

All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.

Flight and accommodation

Phone calls & Internet

Telephone/Mobile Telephone

Dialing code: +7

Telephone

International calls can be made at a reduced rate from 2000-0800 local time. All major cities are equipped with card operated phones. Cards can be purchased at kiosks, and can be used to make international calls. The best card to make international calls with is an i-card+.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good around the main cities.

Internet

There are Internet cafes in most towns and cities. Internet access is also available in major hotels, but services are usually more expensive than in cafes.

Flight and accommodation

Shopping in Almaty

Key Areas

Most of the shopping action in Almaty happens in and around Zhybek-Zholy or ‘Arbat’ as it’s locally known. Here you can find shops and boutiques selling everything from international branded fashion to local crafts and food. Also worth checking out is Barakholka, a huge open-air market that specialises in fake designer goods, as well as the odd handicraft and some truly excellent handmade clothes. You can also easily find felt dolls, lavishly embroidered rugs and sheepskin slippers.

Markets

Barakholka is the largest market, although the monthly Ablai Khan is also a good bet for handicrafts. Zelyoni Bazaar (Green Market) is the main spot for fresh produce.

Shopping Centres

Tsum, a Soviet era department store on Abylai Khan Avenue, is the main mall and good for souvenirs. Silk Way City Mall on Tole Bi Street is home to scores of fashion boutiques.

Flight and accommodation

Traveller etiquette

Social Conventions

Kazakhs are very hospitable. When greeting a guest, the host gives him/her both hands as if showing that he/she is unarmed. When addressing a guest or elder, a Kazakh may address him/her with a shortened form of the guest’s or elder’s name and the suffix ‘ke’. For example, Abkhan may be called Abeke, Nursultan can be called Nureke. This should be regarded as indicating a high level of respect for the visitor.

At a Kazakh home, the most honoured guest, usually the oldest, is traditionally offered a boiled sheep’s head on a beautiful dish as a further sign of respect.

National customs forbid young people whose parents are still alive from cutting the sheep’s head. They must pass the dish to the other guests for cutting. Inside mosques, women observe their own ritual in a separate room, and must cover their heads and their arms. Formal dress is often required when visiting the theatre, or attending a dinner party. Shorts should not be worn except on the sports ground.

Flight and accommodation

Health

Food & Drink

All water should be regarded as being a potential health risk. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other Risks

Hepatitis B, C and E and tuberculosis occur. Increased cases of meningitis and encephalitis have been reported in Almaty. Tick-borne encephalitis is a problem in mountains and forests, particularly during April, May and June. There is some presence of rabies. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay.

Flight and accommodation

Visa & Immigration

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.